The New Route 66: New Mexico Edition

Welcome to the Land of Enchantment! I love New Mexico. There is just something cool about the desert and mountains of this state. 


You are in the Mountain Time Zone and just gained an hour. Set your clock back.



Rest Area


This is a nice rest stop with bathrooms and I am betting they also have free maps and coffee.



Exit 369 NM-93 S/NM-392 N/Endee


There is a gas station and a truck stop to the north of this exit.




Exit 361 Bard


There are no services at this exit.


Weigh Station/Port of Entry



Exit 356 NM-469 San Jon


A service station does exist in San Jon. There is not a lot here I would pass this for now.

I always have.



Exit 343 


The sign confirms that there is nothing here.


Exit 339 NM-278


If you haven’t noticed you are really in the middle of nowhere. It gets better I promise.



Exit 335 I-40 Business W/ Historic Route 66


This takes you into the east end of Tucumcari where there are several budget hotels and a service station.




Exit 333 US-54/ Mountain Rd


There is a Love’s Travel Stop and a Flying J at this exit along with some fast food options. You can also go north into Tucumcari. The first and last time I stayed in Tucumcari I was pleasantly surprised that the little grocery store on the main drag had pretty good beer prices. I was expecting to get fleeced on a six pack, but ended up texting a pic of Guinness Draft to my dad showing him how cheap it was.



Exit 332 NM-209/1st St/ NM-104


There are a couple of hotels and some fast food at this exit. You can also go north to the original Route 66 and the main drag of Tucumcari.



Exit 331 Camino Del Coronado


The fairgrounds are at this exit, but nothing else of much interest.



Exit 329 I-40 Business E/Historic Route 66


This will take you into the west end of Tucumcari. There is nothing immediate at this exit, you will have to drive back into Tucumcari. 



Exit 321 Palomas


There are no services at this exit, unless you own the ranch on the south side of the interstate.



Exit 311 Montoya


There are no services at this exit.



Rest Area


Nice modern restrooms. No maps or free coffee.



Exit 300 NM-129 Newkirk


A three street town with two gas stations. I would pass on this exit.



Exit 291 Cuervo


No immediate services at this exit.


Exit 277 US-84 Ft Sumner


This is the eastside of Santa Rosa which is a nice little town. There is a Love’s Travel Stop along with a couple of other truck stops. There are a couple of nice hotels as well.


Carlsbad Caverns Sign


The sign before the exit informs us that Carlsbad Caverns is only 235 miles south via US-54 then US-285.

This is a great trip if you want to wander off the mother road for a day or two. The caverns are not the Grand Canyon thrill, but it is not far off as unforgettable experiences go. Carlsbad itself is a great small town with a couple of other attractions. I am here to tell you that New Mexico has some small towns with great vibes. Roswell is another favorite if you ever get the chance. Back to our regular programming.



Exit 275 US-54 S/ Santa Rosa


There are some fast food options and service stations at this exit. 


Besides the option to go to Carlsbad this exit features the Blue Hole. Which is a Cenote here in Santa Rosa. It is definitely worth the stop. It just keeps adding to all the reasons I always love driving through New Mexico. 


Being a kid that grew up reading old west tales it gets even better when you start realizing that you are traversing areas that Billy the Kid haunted in his short life.


Exit 273 Santa Rosa


No immediate services at this exit. This will take you back into Santa Rosa, but it is a bit of a drive. If you wanted to visit Santa Rosa you should have exited earlier.


Exit 267 Colonias


There are a couple of service stations at this exit, but I would pass and hope you filled up on fuel previously.

Exit 263 San Ignacio


There are no services at this exit.



Exit 256 US-84 N/ Las Vegas


No services at this exit. 


This is not an exit for Sin City, this is for Las Vegas NM, that exit will come later in Arizona.



Rest Area


Nice rest stop with bathrooms.



Exit 243 


There is a small service station at this exit. Absolutely nothing else.

Both of these exits have a sign that says exit 243.  One of the strangest things I have ever seen, but since it is in the middle of nowhere it really doesn’t do any harm. No harm no foul.


Exit 243 


You can backtrack to the gas station if you missed it, which is why they made this exit in my opinion.



Exit 239 County Road CO53


There is nothing at this exit except a lonely county road. Let’s keep it that way.



Exit 234 


This exit features Bowlin’s Flying C Ranch which are really well run gift shops. So if you want to get out and walk around in the air conditioning this is not a bad stop. Bowlin boasts ten travel stops in New Mexico and Arizona. They are very clean and usually have an interesting theme such as the continental divide on both I-40 and I-10. 



Exit 234  


Same scenario as exits 243 and 243 nine miles back. This is just a chance to backtrack to Bowlin’s.



Exit 230 NM-3/Encino/Villanueva


Conserve power steering fluid and keep going straight on I-40. There is nothing remotely close to this exit.



Exit 226


There are no services at this exit and New Mexico officially clinches the award for most exit signs with no description as to what is there. Don’t get me wrong I love traveling New Mexico, but never really noticed this until I started scrutinizing every exit.



Parking Area


Just a car park with no bathrooms.



Exit 218 US-285/Vaughn/Santa Fe


There is a truck stop here at Clines Corners.



Exit 208 Wagon Wheel


No immediate services at this exit



Rattlesnake Draw Rest Area


A car park with a sign warning you to beware of snakes. There are bathrooms, but no free coffee or maps.




Exit 203


Truth in advertising there is nothing at this exit.



Exit 197 I-40 Business Moriarty


There is a little of everything at this exit. There are hotels, gas stations, and restaurants.  There is a Blake’s Lot-A-Burger which is a New Mexico staple as you pass through town.



Exit 196 NM-41 Howard Cavasos Blvd/ Estancia/Santa Fe


This exit is more of Moriarty. You can access more restaurants and service stations at this exit.


Exit 194 I-40 Business Moriarty


This exit will take you back through Moriarty if you changed your mind about holding out for Albuquerque which is not far away.



Exit 187 NM-344 S/Edgewood


This is not a quick off and back on exit. There are gas stations and restaurants, but it will not be a fast stop. This exit has the Wildlife Nature Park & Zoo.


Exit 181 NM-217 Sedillo


There are no immediate services at this exit. You are starting to see the mountains that surround Albuquerque. This city is gorgeous with the mountains surrounding it.


Exit 178 Zuzax


There is a service station on the south side of the interstate. I would pass since there are much better options coming up.



Exit 175 NM-14/NM-333/NM-337/Tijeras/ Cedar Crest


No service close by at this exit.



Exit 170 


Just like the sign there is nothing at this exit.


Exit 167 Central Ave/Tramway Blvd


Plenty of fuel and fast food options at this exit.



Exit 166 Juan Tabo Blvd


This is not the ideal exit. There are restaurants, but they will take a while to get to. More choices are available at other exits.



Exit 165 Eubank Blvd


There are restaurants and shopping off of this exit.



Exit 164 Wyoming Blvd


This is not the best exit, not much immediately available.



Exit 162 Louisiana Blvd


There are a fair amount of restaurants and other shops at this exit. There is a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse at this exit if you feel like splurging today.


Exit 161 San Mateo Blvd


This exit will have some fast food available as well as other shopping options.




Exit 160 Carlisle Blvd


More fast food and shopping.



Exit 159D University Blvd/ 2nd-4th St 


This is not a bad exit for restaurants and hotels.


Exit 159C I-25 North Santa Fe


This will take you to Santa Fe or North Albuquerque. There are nice hotel options if you go north here.


Exit 159B I-25 South Las Cruces


This goes towards the airport and downtown Albuquerque.


Exit 158 6th St/12th St


Gas Stations and restaurants are both available at this exit.


Exit 157A Rio Grande Blvd


Several gas stations and restaurants at this exit




Exit 155 NM-45 N Coors Blvd N/NM-45 S Coors Blvd S


There is a Walmart just north of this exit. Coors Blvd has a lot of nice shopping and restaurant options.

There are several nice hotels on this exit. It would be my choice to stay as the area is pretty nice.


Exit 154 Unser Blvd


This is really not a good exit to take as all the fast food is not immediately off the interstate. It is primarily a residential area.



Exit 153 98th St/Arroyo Vista Blvd


Most of the services are well off the interstate at this exit. If you do take it go south to Central Ave as there are quite a few options there.



Exit 149  NM-500 Atrisco Vista Blvd


If you're looking for a Love’s Travel stop there is one at this exit. It is otherwise primarily an industrial exit.



Exit  140 Rio Puerco


There is a 66 Pit Stop that his home of the Laguna Burger. It has pretty good reviews and there is a casino across the street.



Exit 131 Tohajiilee


The name is much more interesting than the exit as there is nothing for miles off this exit.


Tohajiilee is a faction of the Navajo Indian tribe that was viewed as a renegade segment of the regular Navajo tribe. 



Exit 126 NM-6 Los Lunas 60


There are no services at this exit. Los Lunas is a long way off this exit.



Exit 117 Mesita


There are no services off of this exit.

 

Exit 114 NM-124 Laguna


Limited services available at this exit.



Parking Area


I think scenic outlook is the better description for this offramp. No bathrooms, maps, or coffee at this rest area.



Exit 108 Casa Blanca/Paraje


There is a truck stop on the south side of this exit.



Exit 104 Cubero/Budville/Seama


No immediate services at this exit.




Exit 102 Acomita/Acoma/Sky City


Sky City Casino Hotel, fast food, and fuel at this exit.



Exit 100 San Fidel


There is not much at this exit.



Exit 96 McCartys/Acoma/ Sky City


No immediate services at this exit.


Exit 89 Quemado


There is a truck stop at this exit.



Exit 85 I-40 Business/NM-122/NM-547/Grants/Mt Taylor


There is a very convenient Walmart off of this exit to the north. There are a couple of hotels and some restaurants.


Exit 81 I-40 Business/NM-53/NM-122/Grants/San Rafael


There are some restaurants at this exit, but they are a bit off the beaten path.



Exit 79 I-40 Business/NM-122/NM-605/Milan/San Mateo


A Love’s Travel stop is off of this exit along with a grocery store.

  


Exit 72 Bluewater Village


There is a service station with a convenience store off of this exit, but not much else.



Exit 63 NM-412 Prewitt


This exit is a pass for me with no services immediately available.



Exit 53 NM-612/NM-371/Thoreau


There is a Market Deli right off the exit. Everything else is far off the beaten path.



Exit 47 Continental Divide


There is a service station at this exit.



Exit 44 Coolidge


Nothing to see here.



Exit 39 Refinery


There is a Flying J Truck stop and a Denny’s at this exit.


Exit 36 NM-618/Iyanbito


There are no services at this exit. It is an easy way on to Old Route 66 that you can take into Gallup.



Exit 33 NM-400 S/ McGaffey 


There is a Fort Wingate historical marker on the south side of the interstate. Nothing else of interest at this exit.



Exit 26 I-40 Business E. Gallup


This exit puts you on the old Route 66 through Gallup, lots of hotels and restaurants.



Exit 22 Miyamura Dr/Montoya Blvd


There are lots more restaurants off this exit in Gallup. We ate at the Sizzlin off this exit last time through and I was pleasantly surprised how much you got at the salad bar at lunch. 




Exit 20 Munoz Blvd


Lots of restaurants and hotels at this exit.



Exit 16 I-40 Business/NM-118/W Gallup


A couple of restaurants and hotels, but mainly the last of Gallup.



Exit 8 Defiance/Manuelito


There are no immediate services at this exit. Next stop is Arizona!